Windmill



April 9, 1929. A, A; ADAMS 1,708,374

Filed May 17,.192'7 5 Sheets-Sheet l Flea-1 WWW I #4 ATTRNEY A. A. ADAMS April 9, 1929.

WINDMILL ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 9, 1929.

a so "sures ADOLPH-'AUGUST'A D AMS, F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

WINDMILL.

"Ap lication-anew May 17,

'My invention relates to windmills and more particularly to thetype of windmill having a rotatable cylindrical structure enclosed'by a stationary cylindrical structure.

I am awarethatwindmills of this type have heretofore beenproduced but, to the best of my knowledge. none of such windmills have been successful'or have been 'cap'ableof producing a relatively large amount'of power, and theprincipal object of my'invention is to provide a windmill which overcomes the objectionable features of those heretofore produced and which'is capable of generating a large amount of power relatively to its size.

Another object of my invention is to provi de a windmillso designed that several inde pendent structures maybe erected one above the other and thus be capableof producing a greater amount of power'and utilizing the higher air-currents.

These objects, and other advantageous ends which will appear hereinaftenl attain in the following mannenreference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is atop plan v'iew of awindmill embodyingmy'invention, v

Figure Qa'central vertical sectional view showing two'of the'wi'ndmills illustrated in Figure 1 erectcd'one 'above the other, and

Figure 3 a sectional p'lanview'takens'ub- ,stantially online 3- 3 on Figure --2.

Referring nowmore in det-ail'to the drawings, the outer stationary cylinder 5 is composed of an upper ring6, a lower ring 7 and a plurality ofvanes 8 secured bet-ween rings 6 and 7 and disposed atan angle of approximately 45 to the radii'of cylinder 5. An inner cylinder 9 is composed of an upper ring 10, a'lo'we'r ring 11 and a plurality ofvanes 12 secured between rings and 11 and disposed at an angle o'fapp'roiiimately 80 to the radii of cylinder 9.

Cylinder 5 may be erected on any suitable structure and is preferably securely braced so that it may withstand the onslaught of high winds. Cylinder 9 is rotatably mounted within cylinder 5 and it is preferably of such size that a very small clearance is provided between its outside and the inside of cylinder 5. Cylinder 9 may be pivoted on a cen tral shaft or otherwise as is customary in mounting such cylinders or it may be provided with a track 13 which I have shown as being of channel cross-section and having one flange secured to the inner edges of vanes 12 1927. Serial 191,920.

while its other flange is adapt'ed to engage grooved rollers 14 secured to shafts 15 rotatably mounted in bearings 16.

When but a single set of cylinders is employed, bearings 16 may bcmounted on the top of the structure which carries the windmillwhile,'if more than a sii'igle's'et of cylinders is employed, the upper bearings 16 may be mounted on braces 17 secured between two cylinders-5 and extending across cylinders 9 but not coming into contact therewith. Any number of rollers 14c maybe"employed butI find'in practice that three is themost eilicicnt number and consequently I have shown brace 1? as having three legs'or parts extending radially from the center of the structure.

Power created byth'e rotation of cylinder S'may be transmitted by meansdf a central shaft 18 which is rotatably mounted in a hear ing 19 secured to a brace 20 extending across the top of cylinder 5but spaced from cylinder 9. W hen morethan-one set of cylinders are employed, I provide bearing 21 in the center of brace '17 through which shaft 18 extends. 'Rotation is imparted to shaft 18 by means of a strut 22 having its ends secured to upper ring 10 and'carryin'ga collar 23 which is fixed tosh'aft'18. A second strut 24 may have its ends secured to track 18 and center'secured to t-l e shaft byneans of a second collar 28 whenso desired. The lower end of shaft 18 may be connected to a generator 25, either directly orthrough a series of gears, and th generator mounted on the structure supporting cylinder 5 or at any other convenient place.

if here two or more sets of cylindcrsare erected above the'other and shaft 18 connected directly to thearmature shaftof generator 25. I preferably provide an antifriction bearing 26'bet-ween thctopof'bearing 21 and a collar 27 fixed to shaft 18 in order to relieve generator from the weight of shaft 18. Also, it is evident that power generated by the rotation of cylinder 9 may be utilized by making mechanical connection to shaft 18.

Small generators may be connected to shafts 15 and rotated by the action of track 13 engaging rollers 14. hen this method is employed, the interior bracing may be omitted and a structure built up inside of the several tiers or sets of cylinders and be adapted to support the load thereof and to ri idly hold same against swaying.

By referring to Figure 3 it will be noted that, on the same radial line, the outer end of each vane 8 overlaps the inner end of the adjacent vane. Assuming that the wind'is blowing in the direction indicated by arrows 28, 29 and 30, it cannot blow directly into the cylinders but is deflected by vanes 8 so i that it strikes vanes 12 at an angle and causes cylinder 9 to rotate in a clockwise direction.

T ie wind will strike the vanes at the right of arrow 28 at increasingly greater angles, relatively to the direction of the wind, until it strikes the vane ahead of arrow 29 at a right angle. To the right of arrow 29, the wind is spilled around the side of cylinder 5 and creates a partial vacuum under its lee.

To the left of arrow 28, vanes 8 disposed at sharper angles to the direction of the wind until the vane atthe right of arrow 30 is nearly parallel thereto, thus providing one opening that is nearly free for the ingress of the wind, but at this point the vane on cylinder 9 is disposed at substantially the correct angle to the path of the wind to derive the greatest amount of power therefrom. To the left of arrow 30, vanes 8 slope in the opposite direction, relatively to the direction of the wind, at increasingly greater angles as to direct the wind against vanes 12 at substantially the correct angle.

From the foregoing and with further reference to Figure 3, it will be noted that vanes 8 are so disposed that, of the half-circumfer- ,ence of cylinder 5 presented to the wind,

about three-fourths of same is sealed against direct entry by the wind and approxin'iately one-fourth partially open to the entry of the wind. In tl is manner, a great amount of power is taken from the wind and thus a higher vacuum is created under the lee of cylinder 5 than is ordinarily obtained with windmills of this type. V

After the air has passed between vanes S and caused cylinder 9 to rotate by coming in contact-with vanes 12, as above described, it is drawn outwardly by the action of the vacuum area and gives vanes 12 a second impulse while passing between them. In passing through cylinder 9, I find that the air moves in a circular path, as indicated by the arrow 31, and thusmeets vanes 12 at a sharp angle in passing from the cylinder.

While I have described my invention as taking a particular form, it will be understood that inodifications may be made without departing from the'spirit thereof, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise construction set fortlnbut consider that I am at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly come within the scope of the appended claims.

1 I claim 1. In a windmill having a stationary outer cylinder and a revoluble inner cylinder within the stationary cylinder, means for revolubly supporting the inner cylinder including a track secured to the inside of the inner cylinder and rollers supported by a fixed part of the structure and engaging the track.

2. In a windmill having a stationary outer cylinder, a revoluble inner cylinder within the stationary cylinder and vanes forming the side walls of both cylinders, means for revolubly supporting the inner cylinder including a channel shaped track secured to the vanes of the inner cylinder and rollers supported by a fixed part of the structure and engaging the track. 8. A windmill including a stationary cylinder adapted to be mounted upon a support andcomprising an upper ring, a lower ring and vanes connecting the rings, an inner cylinder comprising an upper ring, a lower ring and a plurality of vanes connecting said rings; an annular channel-shaped track secured to the inner edges of the vanes of the inner cylinder; hearings on the support; grooved rollers rotatable in the bearings and supporting one flange of the track; a brace extending acrossthe upper ring of the outer cylinder; a bearing on thebrace; a vertical shaft rotatable in the bearing; a brace extending across the upper ring of the inner cylinder and fixed to the shaft; and a brace extending across the track and fixed to the shaft.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

V ADOLPH AUGUST ADAMS. 

